Celosia plant named ‘Zancesha’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Celosia plant named ‘Zancesha’, characterized by its upright plant habit; vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate; freely branching habit; dark purplish red-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; purplish red-colored flowers arranged on spicate-type inflorescences; and good container performance.

Botanical designation: Celosia argentea.

Cultivar denomination: ‘ZANCESHA’.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO CLOSELY-RELATED APPLICATIONS & CLAIM TO FOREIGN PRIORITY

An European Plant Breeder's Rights application was filed for the Celosia ‘Zancesha’ on Nov. 4, 2021, application number 2021/2773. Foreign priority is claimed to this previously filed application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Celosia plant, botanically known as Celosia argentea and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Zancesha’.

The new Celosia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact and uniform Celosia plants with attractive and unique leaf and flower coloration.

The new Celosia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands in October, 2017 of a proprietary Celosia argentea selection identified as code number 15-0131, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a mixture of pollen from a number of proprietary Celosia argentea selections, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Celosia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands in June, 2018.

Asexual reproduction of the new Celosia plant by cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands since August, 2018 has shown that the unique features of this new Celosia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Celosia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Zancesha’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Zancesha’ as a new and Celosia plant:

-   -   1. Upright plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Dark purplish red-colored leaves.     -   5. Freely flowering habit.     -   6. Purplish red-colored flowers arranged on spicate-type         inflorescences.     -   7. Good container performance.

Plants of the new Celosia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in leaf color as plants of the new Celosia have dark purplish red-colored leaves whereas plants of the female parent selection have green-colored leaves with random purple-colored spots.

Plants of the new Celosia can be compared to plants of Celosia hybrida ‘Zancemepur’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 31,267. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Celosia and ‘Zancemepur’ differ primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Celosia have dark purplish red-colored         leaves whereas plants of ‘Zancemepur’ have medium green-colored         leaves with random dark purplish red-colored spots.     -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Celosia are slightly darker         purplish red than flowers of plants of ‘Zancemepur’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Celosia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Celosia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet (FIG. 1 ) comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Zancesha’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet (FIG. 2 ) is a close-up view of typical fully expanded (left) and developing (right) leaves of ‘Zancesha’.

The photograph on the third sheet (FIG. 3 ) is a close up view of a typical flowering stem of ‘Zancesha’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the early spring in 9-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Celosia production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 22° C. Plants were grown under photoinductive long nyctoperiods, pinched one time about 2.5 weeks after planting and were ten weeks old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Celosia argentea ‘Zancesha’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary Celosia argentea             selection identified as code number 15-0131, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—A mixture of pollen from a number             of proprietary Celosia argentea selections, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 12 days at             temperatures about 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 19 days             at temperatures about 21° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous and fleshy; close to 199D in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Herbaceous annual typically             grown as a potted plant; upright plant habit; freely             branching habit with about five to six lateral branches             developing per plant; vigorous growth habit and rapid growth             rate.         -   Plant height.—About 35 cm to 40 cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 20 cm to 25 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 23 cm to 33 cm. Diameter:             About 2.5 mm to 4 mm. Internode length: About 1.5 cm to             2.5 cm. Texture and luster: Ribbed, glabrous; matte. Color:             Close to 187A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate; simple.         -   Length.—About 7 cm to 14 cm.         -   Width.—About 2 cm to 5 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptic to broadly elliptic.         -   Apex.—Acuminate.         -   Base.—Attenuate to truncate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to N79A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to N79B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N79A; venation,             close to 73D. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to             187C; venation, close to N79C.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 1 cm to 2 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm             to 3 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color, upper surface: Close to 73D. Color, lower             surface: Close to N79C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single elliptical flowers             arranged in terminal and axillary spikes; spicate-type             inflorescences; flowers face mostly upright; freely             flowering habit, about 80 to 150 flowers per inflorescence             and about 4,000 flowers developing per plant during the             flowering season.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about 5.5             weeks after planting; in the garden, plants flower             continuously during the summer in The Netherlands.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Inflorescences last about two             months on the plant; flowers persistent.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 3.5 cm to 5 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 1.5 cm to 2 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 2 mm.         -   Flower depth.—About 6 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Shape: Elliptic. Color: Close to 72A.         -   Petals.—None observed.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five. Length: About             5 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute.             Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening and fully             opened, upper surface: Close to 72A; color becoming closer             to 186A with subsequent development. When opening and fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 72A; color becoming closer             to 186A with subsequent development.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Angle:             About 45° from vertical. Strength: Weak; flexible. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 187A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically             five. Filament length: About 2 mm. Filament color: Close to             N79C. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther color: Close to 76C.             Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 161D.             Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About             4 mm. Style length: About 3 mm. Style color: Close to N79C.             Stigma color: Close to N79C. Ovary color: Close to N79A.         -   Seeds.—Length: About 1.5 mm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Color:             Close to 202A. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Celosia have     not been noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Celosia plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Celosia have been observed to     have good garden performance and tolerate rain and temperatures     ranging from about 10° C. to 30° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Celosia plant named ‘Zancesha’ as illustrated and described. 